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"Jamie Bonk's self-titled
debut album is the freshest contemporary instrumental music
I've heard in a while. Bonk is a one-man band. A lyrical composer
and guitar wizard, he
also handles keyboards, synthesizers, programming, and percussion
in a multi-layered,
multi-tracked tour de force that suggests the complex textural weavings
of artists such
as Patrick O'Hearn. The driving mid-tempo beats pulsate as Bonk's
nylon guitar traces
melodies around and through keyboards and bass. His completely original
compositions
have proved to be an enduring treat, affording numerous evenings
of pleasurable listening.
A veteran of Toronto's club circuit, Bonk has played in numerous
bands over the years,
performing in a jazz trio in the early '90s before teaching guitar
at the Toronto Guitar
Institute. Bonk now devotes all his time to his own music. The unique
contemporary
instrumental sound that is Bonk's alone comes from a variety of
musical influences.
In addition to jazz, there are elements of world, pop, and a bit
of rock. The result is a
collection of breezy, upbeat melodies that works well as lovely
background music.
What's great about Jamie Bonk is that it also has
many rewards for the careful listener,
suggesting warm moonlit nights and tropical beaches. Bonk puts a
fair amount of positive
emotional intensity into his compositions, balancing driving percussion
with the sweetly
uplifting nature of the melodies.
The album opens with "If You Only Knew", a tenderly passionate tune
with ambient
keyboards, lively percussion, a hint of strings, and Bonk's guitar
picking its own delightful
way through the melody. Hand claps and a mid-tempo dance beat drive
the nuevo
flamenco "Tiger Dance". "Spiral Path" combines jungle bass with
a soulful guitar lead,
while percussion and keyboards serve as perfect counterpoints to
Bonk's acoustic
virtuosity.
Most people don't know about Jamie Bonk yet, so plan to have a strong
in-store
promotion. More sophisticated than some artists, Bonk's album will
amply reward
anyone who stops to listen." - Steve "Edge" Ryals - New Age Retailer
- September, 1998.
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